Denise McGrath shed tears of joy after stable favourite Keen Commander returned from a year-long absence to win at Warwick Farm on Monday.The classy sprinter lumped 60.5kg on the slow track for an all-the-way 1-3/4 length win in the Lonhro Welter Handicap (1000m).It was the seven-year-old gelding's first start since the Group Two Shorts on the same long weekend last year."Isn't it wonderful to have him back," an emotional McGrath said."All credit goes to my staff and to my foreman, Jarrod Austin

Denise McGrath shed tears of joy after stable favourite Keen Commander returned from a year-long absence to win at Warwick Farm on Monday.

The classy sprinter lumped 60.5kg on the slow track for an all-the-way 1-3/4 length win in the Lonhro Welter Handicap (1000m).

It was the seven-year-old gelding's first start since the Group Two Shorts on the same long weekend last year.

"Isn't it wonderful to have him back," an emotional McGrath said.

"All credit goes to my staff and to my foreman, Jarrod Austin, who hasn't left this horse's side.

"Didn't he do a great job under all that weight and on this track? I was so worried about it.

"He's got plenty of class."

McGrath said Keen Commander - a Group One placegetter and winner of eight of his 28 starts - had a stomach virus last year that forced her to give the sprinter plenty of time off the scene.

"He had some sort of stomach virus after he went to Queensland early last year and he never came back right last preparation," the trainer said.

"We decided the best thing to do was turn him out and leave him alone for six months.

"We brought him back and he wasn't quite right so we tipped him out again. We've taken our time to get him here and there's plenty of improvement in him out of this run."

With the excitement and relief of a first-up win out of the way, Keen Commander is now likely to be given the chance to win the $100,000 Listed Lightning Handicap for a second time following his 2008 win.

The $100,000 Lightning over 1100m is at Randwick on October 16.

Gai Waterhouse, fresh from her 100th Group One triumph at Randwick on Saturday, continued her good form training a winning double.

Waterhouse's winners came courtesy of Upon This Rock and Devils Arcade but she was denied a treble when the previously unbeaten Light Brigade finished second to Victoria Derby-bound Digital Fortress in the Patezza Handicap (1600m).

Trainer Guy Walter said Digital Fortress' 1-1/4 length win was enough to book a trip to Melbourne for the son of Savabeel.

"He's looking for further and I think I'll take him to Melbourne now on that run," Walter said.

"He's in the Victoria Derby and his next run will probably be the Norman Robinson or AAMI Vase."